Foldable product display

ABSTRACT

A foldable display having a vertical display region and supporting triangular base region integrally formed of an elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper board. The display is locked into an assembled position by two locking tabs, each of which locks together four slots on each end of the display.

United States Patent [191' Gregg FOLDABLE PRODUCT DISPLAY [76] Inventor: Richard G. Gregg, Huntsville, Ala.

[22] Filed: Oct. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 296,168

[52] U.S. Cl. 40/l24.l

[51] Int. Cl. G09f 1/00 [58] Field of Search 40/l52.1, 124.1, 40/126 A; 248/459 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,821,025 9/1931 Ohlson 40/l24.1

2,311,218 2/1943 Fandrich 40/l24.l

[ 1 Oct. 9, 1973 9/1948 Roth 40/124.1 11/1950 Ebert et a1. 40/l24.l

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney-C. A. Phillips [57] ABSTRACT A foldable display having a vertical display region and supporting triangular base region integrally formed of an elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper board. The display is locked into an assembled position by two locking tabs, each of which locks together four slots on each end of the display.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FOLDABLE PRODUCT DISPLAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Paper or cardboard racks are widely used to display merchandise. Ideally these racks or displays are foldable to facilitate shipping and it is obviously desirable that they be constructed of a minimum number of pieces of such board, be simple to assemble and yet relatively rugged once assembled. A survey of such foldable displays failed to reveal to the applicant the availability of a display which meets these criterion.

It is thus the object of this invention to provide an improved foldable display which is basically. constructed of one piece of paper or cardboard material, is simple to assemble and relatively ruggedly constructed for long-termed usage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a foldable display is constructed basically from an elongated rectangular section of paper board or cardboard, typically of corrugated paper board. Four sets of oppositely positioned slots are made in the side edges of the board and six side-to-side bends are made'in the board to accommodate bends, one at the top of the display and the others in a triangular-shaped base region of the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an exploded view of the basic components of a display constructed in accordance with the inventlon.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the components shown in FIG. 1 at an intermediate point of assembly illustrating the manner in which the components go together.

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of an assembled display.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial, edge view along lines 44 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Rectangular sheet of corrugated paper board is the basic component of display 11. The vertical display regions 12 and 14 are formed by effecting a crease 16 in side 17 which corresponds in position with the top 18 of the display. The vertical surface portion 20 is held in a vertical-position, when assembled, by means of a first pair of slots 22 and 24 and a second pair of slots 26 and 28 a like distance either side of crease 16. The base portion of the display is formed into a triangular or A-framed shaped base which utilizes sheet 10 between cross-slit 30 and end 32 of sheet 10. Slit 30 is cut from side 17 through an outer layer 31 and core 32 of sheet 10, leaving intact the opposite outer layer 33 (FIG. 4). This enables a sharp bend along slit 30. The base is enabled or formed by means of spaced creases 34, 36, 38 and 40 in this order from slit 30 to end 32 in inside surface 17 of sheet 10. The distance between creases 34 and 36 is substantially equal to the distancebetween creases 38 and 40. The distance between creases 36 and 38 is longer than the distances between creases 34 and 36 or 38 and 40 to provide bottom portion 41 of the triangular base of the display. The distances between creases 34 and 36 and between 38 and 40, representing outer sides of the triangular base, are of substantially equal length to provide substantially equal area sides 43 and 45. One pair of oppositely positioned slots 46 and 48 are cut out on the edges of the base portion of the sheet as shown in FIG. 1. Slots 42 and 44 are spaced substantially halfway between slot 30 and crease 34 and slots 46 and 48 are substantially halfway between crease 40 and end 32 of sheet 10.

It is important to note that the corrugations 49 of sheet 10 run perpendicular to the direction of the creases and folds of the display. This has been found to be a significant factor in achieving the desired rigidity of this display.

Identical locking tabs 50 and 52 are formed with slots 54 and 56 and a crease 58 to enable the locking tabs to be bent from the original position shown in FIG. I to the folded position shown in FIG. 2. The locking tabs are inserted in the side slots on each side to lock the display in an assembled position as shown in FIG. 3.

Merchandise, typically in the form of small packaged articles are suspended and thus displayed on one or more of wire racks 60. As shown, each wire rack 60 includes a loop 62 for locking over-the-top edge of dis play 11. The outer ends 64 and 66 of rack 60 are bent upward to prevent articles from accidentally falling off. Wire rack 60 is typically constructed of a wire size of H16 of an inch in diameter and is 4 to 12 inches in length and packaged articles to be suspended typically have a small opening in the edge of their package to enable undamaged suspension.

It will thus be seen that a simple but sturdy display is basically formed of a single piece of corrugated paper board, the base being made an integral part of the display. The only other components are locking tabs, a simple folded piece of corrugated board with slots and the wire rack members. An alternative manner of locking the base members together would be by means of a metal fastener such as a staple, or other fastener.

By means of the illustrated construction, it is a simple matter for a corrugated paper fabricator to make the corrugated portions of the display, cheaply, and yet providing a very sturdy overall product. The wire rack members, likewise, are of simple construction and finally, the assembly, as described above, takes only a few minutes.

What is claimed is:

l. A collapsible product supporting display comprising: 7 v

an elongated rectangular sheet of paper board including:

a first region, extending from a first end of said sheet having a first crease across a width enabling said first region to be folded into a double thickness configuration;

a second crease parallel to said first crease and terminating said first region and at a distance from said first crease substantially equal to the distance between said first crease and said first end of said sheet and enabling a reverse fold to that provided by said first crease;

a second region of said sheet extending from said termination of said first region to the opposite or second end of said sheet, and

third, fourth, fifth and sixth creases, spaced, in that order, extending from and parallel to said second crease, in said second region, and adapted to form said second region into a basically triangular configuration base with first region as a vertical display portion and the bottom portion of said first region vertically bisecting at least a portion of the interior of the triangular configuration so formed; and

clamping means for clamping a bottom portion of said folded double-thickness of said first region between two sections of said second region, one said section extending between said second crease and said third crease and the other section extending between said sixth crease and said second end of said sheet.

2. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises:

a first pair of oppositely positioned, inwardly extending slots in the sides of said first region near, but spaced from, said second crease, and a second pair of inwardly extending, oppositely positioned, slots in the sides of said first region near, but spaced from, said first end of said sheet;

third and fourth pairs of oppositely positioned, in-

wardly extending, notches in said second region, said third pair of notches being positioned a like distance from said termination of said first region to that of the distance from said second end of said sheet to said fourth pair of notches; and

first and second locking means, said first locking means being adapted to be positioned in and hold all said notches on one side of said sheet together and said second locking means being adapted to fit into and hold together all of said notches on the opposite side of said sheet together, whereby said first region of said display is positioned and supported vertically by said triangular configuration base of said second region.

3. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein the region between said third crease and said fourth crease and region between said fifth crease and said sixth crease constitute the sides of said triangular configuration base and the region between said fourth crease and said fifth crease constitute the bottom of said base.

4, A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 3 wherein the area between creases constituting said bottom of said base is greater than the area between creases constituting either of the sides of said triangular configuration base.

5. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one product rack comprising an elongated wire member having a U-shaped indentation in the center adapted to clamp over a top of said folded first region of said sheet and having turned up end regions, whereby said rack is readily positioned and held on the top portion of said folded first region and products suspended from said rack are generally retained to prevent accidentally falling off by said raised end portions of said rack.

6. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said sheet of paper board comprises a corrugated board having opposite outer surface layers and inner honeycomb region, all glued together;

all of said creases are on the same side of said sheet;

and

said second crease comprises a cut, through one outer layer and the honeycomb region, of said sheet.

7. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 6 wherein the corrugations of the paper board run perpendicular to the said creases in said sheet. 

1. A collapsible product supporting display comprising: an elongated rectangular sheet of paper board including: a first region, extending from a first end of said sheet having a first crease across a width enabling said first region to be folded into a double thickness configuration; a second crease parallel to said first crease and terminating said first region and at a distance from said first crease substantially equal to the distance between said first crease and said first end of said sheet and enabling a reverse fold to that provided by said first crease; a second region of said sheet extending from said termination of said first region to the opposite or second end of said sheet, and third, fourth, fifth and sixth creases, spaced, in that order, extending from and parallel to said second crease, in said second region, and adapted to form said second region into a basically triangular configuration base with first region as a vertical display portion and the bottom portion of said first region vertically bisecting at least a portion of the interior of the triangular configuration so formed; and clamping means for clamping a bottom portion of said folded double-thickness of said first region between two sections of said second region, one said section extending between said second crease and said third crease and the other section extending between said sixth crease and said second end of said sheet.
 2. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises: a first pair of oppositely positioned, inwardly extending slots in the sides of said first region near, but spaced from, said second crease, and a second pair of inwardly extending, oppositely positioned, slots in the sides of said first region near, but spaced from, said first end of said sheet; third and fourth pairs of oppositely positioned, inwardly extending, notches in said second region, said third pair of notches being positioned a like distance from said termination of said first region to that of the distance from said second end of said sheet to said fourth pair of notches; and first and second locking means, said first locking means being adapted to be positioned in and hold all said notches on one side of said sheet together and said second locking means being adapted to fit into and hold together all of said notches on the opposite side of said sheet together, whereby said first region of said display is positioned and supported vertically by said triangular configuration base of said second region.
 3. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein the region between said third crease and said fourth crease and region between said fifth crease and said sixth crease constitute the sides of said triangular configuration base and the region between said fourth crease and said fifth crease constitute the bottom of said base.
 4. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 3 wherein the area between creases constituting said bottom of said base is greater than the area between creases constituting either of the sides of said triangular configuration base.
 5. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one product rack comprising an elongated wire member having a U-shaped indentation in the center adapted to clamp over a top of said folded first region of said sheet and having turned up end regions, whereby said rack is readily positioned and held on the top portion of said folded first region and products suspended from said rack are generally retained to prevent accidentally falling off by said raised end portions of said rack.
 6. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said sheet of paper board comprises a corrugated board having opposite outer surface layers and inner honeycomb region, all glued together; all of said creases are on the same side of said sheet; and said second crease comprises a cut, through one outer layer and the honeycomb region, of said sheet.
 7. A collapsible product supporting display as set forth in claim 6 wherein the corrugations of the paper board run perpendicular to the said creases in said sheet. 